Hasselblad, Nick Vedros, Kodak, Polaroid and 1996?

I found a box of old photographs, disks, and DVDs in my garage recently and I felt like I'd found buried treasure! 

​My best guess is the ad above was created around 1996. It's all before digital, which is why it was so logical for both Kodak and Polaroid to be partners in the campaign. Before you could chimp with a quick look at the back of your camera, photographers used a proofing back and shot Polaroids to check composition, exposure, etc.

But the best part of this is looking back at the creative genius of my good buddy Nick Vedros. This was all done in-camera and the studio - no Photoshop.

The to the right is from a scrapbook Kalmar Ad Marketing, Hasselblad's advertising agency, created for me when I left Hasselblad in 1999. While the photograph looks like the main character is falling down the stairs, Nick and his crew built a set that laid flat and then he photographed from above. He had somebody under the stage moving a rotating barstool under the curled up subject and moving the roller skate, while he shot through the floor of the room above and dragged the shutter.  

Light the image the right way, change the perspective on viewing and *poof* you've got Vedros creativity in full swing. It was an image that left people speechless. And if you've ever met or worked with Nick, then you already know this is nothing in comparison to some of the images he's created over the years. 

But for me, the fun of Throwback Thursday is in the memories it brings back:

• Kodak and Polaroid, unlike their role in the industry today were powerhouses then.
• Ektachrome was alive and well back then, and unforgiving. I still wish photographers buying their first high-end DSLR today were required to shoot a case of chrome first, so they'd learn to truly understand exposure!
• Hasselblad was known for creating some terrific strategic partnerships. With the three companies involved in this project, we were able to share the costs for both production and media. To this day, when teaching, I still encourage photographers to find partners in their promotional efforts. For example, a wedding photographer, florist, and bridal salon teaming up to share the cost of a promotional mailing.
• Notice the two notches on the left of the full-frame print? That was a trademark of Hasselblad's and were on every film back. I heard a story when I first joined the company: Bronica, then a significant competitor in medium format, had printed a new product brochure, which was later scrapped. Supposedly many of the images had the two notches showing the photographer had used Hasselblad gear on the Bronica project.
• Last but not least, while my friendship with Nick started before this shoot, this project is one more reminder of some great times. Nick did things in the studio that were unique. As I've written before - Don Blair was in his mid to late seventies when he sat in on one of Nick's programs. I caught him furiously taking notes in the back of the room. Here was one of the great masters of portraiture engrossed in new ideas he was learning from Nick.

My apologies for a longer than usual Throwback Thursday post this morning, but that's the fun of it all. Old photographs bring back great memories and even set the stage for new ideas to implement today. So, have you done your own exploring for a great throwback image today?

​Happy Throwback Thursday!

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